Stress…this is a word and a feeling many people know all too well. Stress is your body’s reaction (physical, mental or emotional) to life events, both good and bad. It’s a common part of everyday life.

Stress can come from external factors in the world around you…but when does stress become too much?  According to WebMD, 43% of all adults suffer adverse health effects from stress and 75-90% of all doctor’s visits are for stress related ailments and complaints.  The world can be an overwhelming and busy place. Most people talk about how there is always so much going on with family, work, friends, holidays, get togethers, children’s events and the list goes on.  It can be a wonderful thing to be busy and be involved in multiple things, but how many of us prioritize making time manage our stress? Are we doing the bare minimum to get by, or are we building a system that allows us to do more and thrive!

This article explores two keys to building a stronger foundation for managing the stress of life. Stress isn’t going to go away, but we can strengthen our foundation to better process the stress of life.

Reconnect with Inner Self

The first key is to make time to connect with your inner self. Often this can be challenging at first, as we may feel uncomfortable with silence and letting go of distractions and stimulation. Allow yourself to sit in the silence. Breathe. Thoughts and emotions may rise up. It could be agitating at first, but this is an opportunity to acknowledge, breathe, and let them go. When we keep ourselves constantly on the go, we may have a backlog of unacknowledged energy to process.

Meditation is a great tool to deal with this daily backlog. At some point, we break through the noise and this gives us the opportunity to cultivate our relationship with our inner self. To reconnect to who you are at the core of your being. To get to know yourself on a deeper level, free from the distractions of your mind and the noise of the outside world.

At times when I feel overly stressed, it can lead to feelings where my nerves are heightened or even anxiety or panic. When these feelings come on it can be difficult for me to slow down my mind. Taking the time to meditate is extremely important, and I certainly recommend this.

“In thought, and word, and deed, I rest my life from day to day upon the sure foundation of eternal being.”

When we are in a state of joy, we maintain this connection to express ourselves from this higher perspective. It opens the door to greater expressions of love and compassion for ourselves and others. To live with confidence, curiosity, and wonder, and to express this through our own uniqueness.

Cultivating joy in life comes through the pure expression of your spirit. When we connect within and listen, we can follow our inner guidance to live in alignment with our inner self and express our true selves in the world. There may be certain activities that spark that expression and joy within you.

Steps to connect with your joy:

• Connect with what makes you smile, what brings you energy and a zest for life.
• Explore your unique gifts and talents, and how you can use them for greater service in the world.
• Get out of the comfort zone to stretch yourself and explore life and learn about yourself.
• Think about what you do for fun or what you’ve wanted to do, consider new adventures, goals and dreams (example: bucket list).
• Surround yourself with people who appreciate and love you, who see you for the beautiful and amazing person you are.
• Invest time and energy in yourself to strengthen your foundation.  
• Explore a hobby that allows for an expression of your joy. It could be cooking, painting, sewing, woodworking, exercising, journaling, etc.

Once you identify practices that help to shift you into a state of joy, these activities should be part of your self-care and part of your daily routine.

When finding your joy – keep the following in mind:

• Creativity – happens quite naturally when you are connecting to what brings you joy.
• Have fun – be open minded and willing to try new things. Don’t take it too seriously, explore and you never know what you might learn about yourself while discovering a new outlet for experiencing more joy in your everyday life.
• Don’t overthink – flow with energy/feelings coming in to express yourself.
• Laughter – surrounding yourself with people who make you laugh, or a movie/event – moments of laughter. It can lift the heaviness of stressors and worry you are feeling.
• Being thankful – of where you are at, what you have in your life, the accomplishments that have led you to this point, the aha moments along the way, your unique journey.

Action Steps:

1. Take a moment to journal what joy means to you…what are some words you associate with it to define your joy.
2. Write a list of activities that bring you joy.
3. Dig deeper, with each activity or experience – what were the feelings or outcomes associated with it. For example, I could put on my list twirling in the grass is a memory that brings me joy. But why?  Because when I was a little girl I have fond memories of playing outside for hours and giggling with my sister and we twirled around in the sun, laughing and connecting. So if I think about it more, it’s about being in nature, the bond with my sister, being carefree and present as little kids are.
4. After you reflect on these joyful feelings, you can build on this and add to your list of what brings joy by creating new experiences and memories.  The importance of being in the present moment, not worrying about the past or future, and experiencing joy and happiness today. For example, recently I took my memories of being in nature and spending time with my sister to a new level by going on an adventure with my sister, niece and nephew to a state park enjoyed conversation, laughter and much needed joy!

Self Care: Taking Action to Improve One’s Health      

• Write down what makes me the most happy, the most connected to my inner self/heart – such as places, people, circumstances, feelings.
• Write down what is your ideal – what would you like to see your life look like.
• Talk with someone, importance of expressing oneself is an important aspect of self care.

Take Care of You

It is key to take the time to take care of yourself, and make this a priority in your daily life. It is a foundation for creating the life, experiences and desires you want to achieve.  Remember to take action steps, even when busy moments in life get in the way, learn from each experience and go back to your list of what makes you most happy, what’s most important, and  what you would like your life to look like.